Rep. Duncan Hunter, a San Diego area Republican, and his wife, Margaret, were indicted today on charges related to the misuse of $250,000 worth of campaign funds for personal expenses and the filing of false campaign finance records.
The charges of wire fraud, falsifying records, campaign finance violations and conspiracy were the culmination of a Department of Justice investigation that has stretched for more than a year, during which Hunter has maintained his innocence.
Republican Party leaders had long worried that with a potential indictment looming, Hunter’s traditionally safe district which makes up much of eastern San Diego County could be at risk of Democratic takeover in November’s midterm election.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in unusual charges on Hunter’s campaign credit card had come under scrutiny, including among other things, an Italian vacation, dental work, purchases at a surf shop, and huge tabs at bars in restaurants in the San Diego and Washington DC areas. Among the most mocked charges was airfare for a pet rabbit to fly with the family, which an aide said was mistakenly charged to the wrong credit card.
Hunter, a former Marine, has reimbursed his campaign account some $65,000 since the Federal Election Commission first questioned spending on video games in 2016, according to Federal Election Commission records.